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Home , Charing Cross Theatre, Lynn Ahrens, Peter Stone, Thomas Meehan (writer)

, one of the most acclaimed musicals in recent times, is sailing back to London for a 10-week season!

Winner! Best Production WhatsOnStage Awards Winner! Best Fringe/Regional Musical Broadway World UK Awards Winner! Best Musical Production and 3 more Off West End Awards Long-listed for the Evening Standard Best Musical Award

The thrilling London premiere of musical Titanic became one of the hottest must-see shows, winning a clutch of Best Musical awards, four and 5 star rave reviews across the board and and it was Critics Choice in many national newspapers.

Now the multi award-winning production, first seen in 2013 at , is coming back to London with director Thom Southerland again at the helm.

Titanic will set sail for a 10-week season at Charing Cross Theatre from Saturday 28 May - Saturday 6 August, produced by Danielle Tarento, Steven M. Levy, Sean Sweeney and Vaughan Williams.

It was also anounced today that Southerland has been appointed Artistic Director of Charing Cross Theatre and has programmed an initial season of major musicals, including the European premiere of Titanic composer ’s .

Southerland, a fast rising star director who has enjoyed considerable acclaim and success with a string of striking Off West End revivals and premieres of major Broadway musicals, including the recent sold-out European premiere of Grey Gardens, said: “I am incredibly excited that Titanic will set sail for London again and will open our new season of at Charing Cross Theatre. Having created the production in the intimate setting of Southwark Playhouse, it will be wonderful to see Maury Yeston’s epic musical at such close proximity again. Having opened productions of the show in major theatres in Japan and Canada, it really feels like the show is coming home, allowing us to board the ship again and experience the events and passengers as they travel on their fateful journey.” Titanic was produced by Danielle Tarento at Southwark Playhouse. Tarento and Southerland will continue their successful long-time collaboration at Charing Cross Theatre, where she will co-produce the entire season with Steven M. Levy, Sean Sweeney and Vaughan Williams.

Following Titanic (Saturday 28 May - Saturday 6 August) with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and book by , the three other productions are:

Radio Times (Saturday 20 August - Saturday 1 October) music by Noel Gay and book by Abi Grant with additional material from Alex Armitage.

Ragtime (Saturday 8 October - Saturday 26 November) music by , lyrics by and book by Terrence McNally.

Death Takes a Holiday (Saturday 3 December - Saturday 21 January, 2017) music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and book by Peter Stone and , the European premiere of the follow-up to Titanic by its Tony Award-winning composers. å Thom Southerland will direct all the shows apart from Radio TImes, which will be directed by Ben Woolf.

Steven M. Levy said: “Thom Southerland’s appoinment marks the start of an exciting, fabulous new chapter in the history of our theatre. As we turn into a full-time producing house we are thrilled to announce the appointment of Thom as Artistic Director and to welcome Danielle Tarento as our season co-producer.”

Southerland, speaking from Japan, where he’s directing a new version of his London hit, , said: “Having directed The Mikado at Charing Cross Theatre, I am thrilled to have been appointed Artistic Director. It’s doubly exciting to be able to premiere Titanic composer Maury Yeston’s Death Takes a Holiday to round off this first season.” “A brilliantly scaled-down chamber version, this production is a hymn to the idea that ‘small is beautiful’. From my look-out post, I’d judge that the enterprise is on a collision cåourse with glory” Paul Taylor, The Independent

“Thom Southerland’s splendidly stirring production... under his command, this is a gripping, ambitious ensemble piece and, with a steady hand and a gimlet eye for detail, the director steers it on a course to success” The Times

“Just back from the last night of ‘Titanic’ - but surely not the last we’ll see of this production. It ‘has’ to come back! The original Broadway production remains one of the greatest theaåtrical events of my life; this more compressed version rivals it.” The Stage’s No1 Critic Mark Shenton, after his third visit to see it at Southwark Playhouse on August 31, 2013

In the final hour of 14 April 1912 the RMS Titanic, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to , collided with an iceberg and ‘the unsinkable ship’ slowly sank. It was one of the most tragic disasters of the 20th Century. 1517 men, womåen and children lost their lives.

Based on actual characters aboard the greatest ship in the world, Maury Yeston (, Grand Hotel) and Peter Stone’s stunning musical focuses on their hopes and aspirations. Unaware of the fate that awaits them, the Third Class immigrants dream of a better life in America, the newly-enfranchised Second Class dream of achieving the lifestyles of the rich and famous, and the millionaire Barons of the First Class dream of their hegemony lasting forever.

Cast to be announced

Creative team: Director Thom Southerland, Musical Staging Cressida Carré, Musical Director Mark Aspinall, Set & Costume Designer David Woodhead, Lighting Designer Howard Hudson, Sound Designer Andrew Johnson

Saturday 28 May - Saturday 6 August

Press night Monday 6 June at 7.30pm RADIO TIMES Saturday 20 August - Saturday 1 October

Press night Friday 26 August at 7.30pm

In the heart of London’s Blitz-torn West End, the cast of BBC’s light-entertainment radio show, Variety Bandwagon are doing their bit for the war effort. But with the bombs falling outside, can star of the show, Sammy Shaw, hang on to his leading lady and broadcast live to America for the very first time?

Chock-full of quick-fire gags, side-splitting routines and classic songs from one of our ‘best of British’ musical talents, Noel Gay, the composer of Me and My Girl, Radio Times features 40’s favourites such as Run Rabbit Run, Hey Little Hen, My Thanks To You and There’s Something About a Soldier.

Director Ben Woolf

“You’ll love it” The Mail on Sunday “An evening of sheer pleasure” Whatsonstage “Radio Times gives us a couple of golden hours in the of Noel Gay’s songs” The Daily Telegraph Saturday 8 October - Saturday 26 November

Press night Monday 17 October at 7.30pm

It is the turn of the 20th Century in New York. An era is exploding. A century is spinning. And the people are moving in rhythm and rhyme to the music of Rag- time. Based on the novel by E.L Doctorow, Ragtime weaves together the story of three groups in America, represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr, a Harlem musician; Mother and her white, middle class family in New Rochelle; and Tateh, a Jewish immigrant who has come to America with his daughter seeking a new life. Their fictional lives become dramatically intertwined with one another as well as with historical figures including Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, JP Morgan and Henry Ford.

Ragtime led the 1998 with 12 nominations, winning 4 including Best Book by Terrence McNally and Best Original Score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY Saturday 3 December - Saturday 21 January 2017

Press night Monday 12 December at 7.30pm

In Northern Italy, shortly after World War One, Death disguises himself as a hand- some young prince to try to understand why life is so precious and death so feared. But when he unexpectedly falls in love with a newly engaged young woman, this mysterious stranger discovers that love may in fact be stronger than death.

With a book by multi Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan and Peter Stone, based on the 1928 Italian play of the same name which went on to inspire the movie, Meet Joe Black, starring Brad Pitt, and a lush, romantic score by multi Tony Award winner Maury Yeston (Titanic, Nine), this is a soaring story of the preciousness of life and the overwhelming power of love.

Death Takes A Holiday was nominated for 11 Drama Desk Awards when it premiered Off Broadway in 2011. LISTINGS INFO

Charing Cross Theatre The Arches Villiers Street London WC2N 6NL www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk Box office: 08444 930 650

TITANIC Saturday 28 May - Saturday 6 August Press night Monday 6 June at 7.30pm

RADIO TIMES Saturday 20 August - Saturday 1 October Press night Friday 26 August at 7.30pm

RAGTIME Saturday 8 October - Saturday 26 November Press night Monday 17 October at 7.30pm

DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY Saturday 3 December - Saturday 21 January 2017 Press night Monday 12 December at 7.30pm

Performances:

Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm Wednesday matinee at 2.30pm Saturday matinee at 3.00pm

Tickets:

Premium £39.50 which includes best stalls locations, a programme and a glass of bubbly £29.50 stalls £22.50 balcony £17.50 slips

Season discounts on Premium and Stalls seats:

Buy 2 shows get 10% off Buy 3 shows get 15% off Buy 4 shows get 25% off - that’s 4 for the price of 3!

(discounts are only available over the phone on 08444 930 650) PRESS CONTACT

Please note there are no booking fees on any ticket sales Kevin Wilson at Kevin Wilson Public Relations How to get here: e: [email protected] Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross (Bakerloo and Northern lines) t: 07884 368697 / 020 8673 0658 Embankment (Bakerloo, Northern, Circle and District lines) @kevinwilsonpr

www.kevinwilsonpublicrelations.co.uk